In recent years, the rise of the Internet and other online communications methods have rapidly transformed the manner in which electronic communications take place. Today, rather than relying on prior-generation switched telephone communications arrangements, many service providers are turning to Internet Protocol (IP) based communications networks. Such networks can provide flexibility in facilitating the transmission of voice, data, video, and other information at great speeds.
In many cases, the above-referenced IP communications networks may comprise cable television networks that are used to transmit cable television signals and other information between a service provider and a plurality of subscribers, typically over coaxial and/or fiber optic cables. Typically, the service provider is a cable television company that may offer, among other things, cable television, broadband Internet and Voice-over-Internet Protocol (“VoIP”) digital telephone service to subscribers within a particular geographic area. A subscriber may receive all of these services through a single radio frequency (“RF”) connection between the service provider and the subscriber premise. The service provider may transmit both “downstream” signals (which are also sometimes referred to as “forward path” signals) from the headend facilities of the cable television network to the subscriber premises and “upstream” signals (which are also sometimes referred to as “reverse path” signals) from the individual subscriber premises back to the headend facilities. The downstream signals are currently transmitted in the 54-1002 MHz frequency band, and may include, for example, different tiers of cable television channels, movies on demand, digital telephone and/or Internet service (the signals received by the subscriber), and other broadcast or point-to-point offerings. The upstream signals are currently transmitted in the 5-42 MHz frequency band and may include, for example, signals associated with digital telephone and/or Internet service (the signals transmitted by the subscriber) and ordering commands (i.e., for movies-on-demand and other services).
In many cases, significant attenuation may occur as signals are passed through the cable television network, and hence the power level of the RF signal that is received at subscriber premises may be on the order of 0-5 dBmV/channel. Such received signal levels may be insufficient to support the various services at an acceptable quality of service level. Accordingly, RF signal amplifiers may be provided at or near individual subscriber premises that are used to amplify the downstream RF signals to a more useful level. These RF signals amplifier may also be configured to amplify the upstream RF signals that are transmitted from the subscriber premise to the headend facilities of the cable television network.
Unfortunately, RF signal amplifiers comprise active devices that require a power feed for proper operation. Accordingly, if power to an RF signal amplifier is interrupted, some or all of the communications between the service provider and the subscriber premise may be lost. Although such interruptions may be tolerated in relation to certain non-essential services, interruptions to other services may be unacceptable. For example, subscribers relying on IP-based emergency communications (i.e., 911 service) can be left without such services during power interruptions.
In order to remedy this problem, some subscribers may be inclined to acquire a dedicated switched telephone line to provide emergency services during power interruptions. Nevertheless, such an option can require the subscriber to incur additional costs, and fails to capitalize on the advantages offered by IP-based communication.